Carob Antioxidants in Human Health: From Traditional Uses to Modern Pharmacology

Abstract

Carob has been used by humans since antiquity. Its major use is food, but traditional medicines of many nations used it for treatments of various health disorders. The fruits (pods or kibbles) were the main source for nutrition and medicinal uses, but decoctions and extracts were prepared from other parts of the tree, especially leaves. Modern science has analyzed most of the chemical compositions of the different parts, and among the phytochemicals that were found, antioxidants play very important roles in Carob nutritional and medicinal activities. So, in addition to having strong antioxidant activity and due to it, these natural products, their extracts, and foods that contain them, have anticancer, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, antiaging, skin care, antidiabetic, and others. Phenolics and carbohydrates are the strongest antioxidants, but some volatile compounds have the same activity, to some extent. However, this review will present Carob antioxidants, their major nutritional and medicinal activities, and suggest future horizons for their use in human wellbeing.